This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending a talkback at the end of the matinee performance of Little Shop of Horrors, where the cast (led by Production Stage Manager Craig A. Horness) were greeted with huge cheers from their enthusiastic audience. They spent the next half hour answering questions from fans eager to learn the methods behind the magic onstage. Here are some of the highlights:

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Fan #1 (inquiring about Jenna Coker-Jones' tattoos): Are they real, or Audrey's?

Jenna (Audrey) (laughter): "They're mine, and hers!"

Fan #2: "How long did it take to get used to dealing with the revolve?(the circular section of the stage that can be rotated by electric power to provide a scene change)

Eleasha Gamble (Chiffon): "Well we only had about a week in this space [before previews] so literally every time it was coming around [during Tech] I would just jump on it and practice the choreography.

Scott Hitz (puppeteer): And you know being in the rehearsal hall was very different, and obviously had no revolve, so they would be pretending like this [imitating their movements] and it was so funny." (laughter)

Fan #3: Is the Dentist really singing when his head is inside that mask?

Evan Casey (Orin): "It would be great if it was pre-recorded! I have no idea what it sounds like out in the audience, but we make sure it's balanced so we can get the proper effect...Yep, that's really me in there."

Craig (Production Stage Manager): "Actually the only thing that is pre-recorded is a few of his giggles when he runs off stage to change into the mask, because there are so many people making noise around him."

Fan #4: "Was there really any nitrous oxide?"

Evan: (laughter) I wish!

Fan #5: "Is it just one person operating the final [biggest] plant?"

Chris Bloch (Mr. Mushnik): "Yes, unless he's eaten somebody."

Scott Hitz & Marc Petrosino (puppeteers): "Well it's just one person on the first Audrey 2 [during "Grow for Me"], then Chris Kale Jones (Seymour) operates her during "You Never Know"--he's got a fake arm around the plant and he slips his real arm underneath to operate it [using the prop, mimics the fake arm falling off], 'Augh! My arm!'" (laughter)

Chris Bloch: "And some of the people [getting eaten] will slide out and back, I just wait until the set turns around and then I go out..."

Jenna: "And for me, someone with red velvet gloves lovingly pulls my feet so I can get out."

Fan #6: "And what is that thing you're working off of when you're singing as Audrey 2 up top on the balcony?"

Elliot Dash (Audrey 2): "Oh I'm looking at a monitor...If it looks like I'm working, that's great!"

Fan #7: "Did you guys have to build Audrey 2?"

Scott Hitz & Marc Petrosino: "Yep, we actually have a company called Monkey Boys Productions, and Marc was in the Broadway Revival of the show...He was approached afterward to build something to tour out, so that's what we did."

Fan #8: "Have you worked together before? How did you come together as a cast?"

Eleasha: "A lot of us have worked together over the years because we're local DC actors...The only ones we haven't worked with are Jenna and Chris (Audrey & Seymour) and Marc and Scott (puppeteers)..."

Craig: "They're the newest additions to the Ford's family."

Fan #9: "Is the plant on hydraulics?"

Marc & Scott: (pointing to their buns & thighs) "Nope! Here's the hydraulics right there!" (applause)

Fan #10: "What about the set, was it built specifically for this theatre?"

Craig: "Yes it was, it was built in Chicago and then shipped here specifically for this theatre. As you can see it's a bit of a departure for this space and for Ford's Theatre in general..." (laughter)

Fan #11: "Since this is such a famous, cultural piece do you feel nervous straying away from the celebrities and such who have done in the past, do you want to stick with the tried and true, or...?"

Christopher Kale Jones (Seymour): "Well you want to do whatever is the most true to you and your own connection to the character...I'm not trying to do an imitation in the show or in anything I do..."

Evan Casey: "You can always take something from what someone else has done and build on that..."

Fan #12: "Are you saying there's a lot of you in the character?" (laughter)

Christopher Kale Jones: "I think you just stay as true to the script as you can, and there are certainly things that other people did that will fit well on me too, and things that won't...You know someone once said amateurs create, professionals steal..."

Chris Bloch: "We're all professionals here!" (laughter)

Scott Hitz: "I think a really good example of that is Ellen Greene, who is the iconic Audrey...It's a very hard stereotype to break and I think [Jenna] does an unbelievable job of that..." (applause)

Jenna: "Well I'm not the type, you know, we're very different, so I really start from the ground up in everything really."

Fan #13: "How do you get those big plants onstage anyway?"

Scott & Marc: "There's a lot of big strong guys backstage who grab her at certain places...She's actually made of fiberglass so if you grab her in the wrong place you might crack her...She's got this aluminum shell which hooks onto us, so she's not quite as heavy as you might think."
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Well, there you have it! Little Shop of Horrors runs at Ford's Theatre until May 22nd, so get your tickets now! Don't forget about their special $10 tickets on Mondays for those under 35, use code under35 online.

You can also get discounts at Hard Rock Cafe and Coco Sala with your tickets. For more info on these discounts click here.

And, as always, be sure to follow me on Twitter @kbfordslilshop and on Facebook for more exclusive info.

Thanks for reading, -kb :)